Book-rest.



c. A. s. T-AYTE.

BOOK REST. APPLICATIVON FILED :ums I3. 1916.

LQQUfiOfi, Patented Mar. 27, 1917.

ATE] R -Y an WFATFd PATENT UFFTFE.

CHESTER A. S. TAYTE, OF SALEM, MASSACHUSETTS.

BooK-REsr.

Specification of Letters Patent. Paytenihoedl Malt. 2'7, 191?.

Application filed June 13, 1916. Serial No. 103,396.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, CHESTER A. S. TAYTE, a citizen of the United States, residing at Salem, in the county of Essex and State of Massachusetts, have invented new and useful Improvements in Book-Rests, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to book rests intended to be placed on a desk, table or other support,- or on the lap of the user, and to support an open book in an inclined position, so that it may be conveniently read.

The invention is embodied in a rest of this character having improved means for confining the exposed pages of an open book to prevent said pages from swinging outwardly and the book from closing, said means being automatically conformable to the thickness of the book.

()f the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification:

Figure 1 represents a perspective view of a book rest embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 represents a side view of the same;

Fig. 3 represents a fragmentary view showing a part of the rock shaft and a spring associated therewith;

Figs. 4 and 5 represent views similar to a portion of Fig. 2, showing different positions of the leaf-confining fingers.

The same reference characters indicate the same or similar parts in all the views.

In the drawings, 12 represents a base, preferably of wood, adapted to'rest in a substantially horizontal position on a support such as a table or desk top, or on the lap of the user. The base is preferably provided with foundation cross pieces 13, which may have rubber studs 14.

15 represents a tablet also preferably of wood connected at one end by hinges 16 with one end of the base, and provided at its hinged end with a ledge 17 to support the lower end of a book 18, the back of which rests on the tablet. The base and tablet are provided with complemental means, such as a ratchet bar 19- attached to the base, and a wire strut 2O pivoted at 21 to a cleat on the back of the tablet, whereby the tablet may be adjustably supported in an inclined position, the inclination of the tablet bein variable.

Two lea -retaining fingers 22 are mounted on the ledge 17, and are movable toward and from the tablet, and normally pressed inwardly toward the tablet as hereinafter described, so that they are adapted to bear on the exposedleaves of an open book and prevent said leaves from swinging outwardly, the fingers conforming autovmatically to the thickness of thebook, as

will be seen by comparing Fig. 4 with Fig. 2.

' The fingers 22 are formed on a rockshaft 24 which is journaled in bearings on the ledge 17, said bearings as here shown being provided by a groove 25 in the outer edge .of the ledge, and confining members 26 at tached to the ledge and extending across said groove. The said bearings and rockshaft are located below the upper side of the ledge 17.

The rockshaft is provided with an arm 27 adapted to be depressed by a finger of the user, to turn the rockshaft and depress the fingers, as indicated by Fig. 5, the fingers being thus displaced to a non-obstructing position so that they permit the free. turning of the outer leaves of an open book.

The rockshaft 24 forms an element of means for pressing the fingers 22 inwardly toward the tablet, said means including a spring 30 engaged at 31 with the arm 27 and at 32 with the ledge 17. The spring acts to normally hold the rockshaft and fingers in the leaf confining position shown by Figs. 1 and 2, and permits the rockshaft to turn and the fingers to swing outwardly to a non-obstructing position, as indicated by Fig. 5.

When an open book is placed on the tablet and ledge the fingers prevent the book from closing, without supporting any part of the weight of the book. When the user desires to turn a leaf, the fingers may be depressed, as shown by Fig. 5, out of the path in which the exposed leaf swings, so that the leaf may be freely turned, th turned leaf and the other exposed leaf being then confined by the return of the fingers to their operative positions.

Therockshaft 24, the fingers 22, and the arm 27 are preferably formed by bending a single length of wire, the fingers being the bent end portions of the wire, and the arm 27 being a loop formed at the central portion of the wire. 1

The location of the rock-shaft bearings and rook-shaft below the upper side of the ledge is important, because the fingers of the rock-shaft thus located are movable to a non-obstructing position wholly below the ioo path in which the book leaves swing when they are being turned.

Having described my invention, I claim:

, 1. A book rest comprising a base, a tablet hinged at one end to the base and having a pro ecting ledge at its hinged end adapted to support the lower end of a book, the base and tablet being provided with complemental means for holding the tablet in an inclined position, the outer surface of the ledge having a longitudinal groove therein, a rockshaft mounted in the said groove and provided with leaf-confining fingers, and a spring engaged with the rockshaft and ledge and adapted toeyieldingly press said fingers against the exposed leaves of an open book supported by the tablet and ledge, the rockshaft being provided with an arm whereby it may be turned to displace the fingers from their operative positions.

2. A book rest comprising a base, a tablet hinged at one end to the base and having a projecting ledge at its hinged end adapted to support the lower end of a book, the base and tablet being provided with complemental means for holding the tablet in an inclined position, fixed bearings at the outer side of the ledge below the upper side thereof, a rock-shaft journaled in said bearings and located below the upper side of the ledge, the ends of said rock-shaft being bent to form leaf-confining fingers adapted to project above the upper side of the ledge, and bear on the exposed leaves of an open book, and to be swung outwardly and down- Wardly below the upper side of the ledge to a non-obstructing position, permitting the unobstructed turning of the leaves, and a spring directly engaged with the rock-shaft and ledge and adapted to yieldingly hold said fingers in their leaf-confining position, the rock-shaft being provided with an arm whereby it may be turned to move the fingers to their non-obstructing position.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my signature.

CHESTER A. S. TAYTE. 

